UNICEF’s Office of Research recently published a report that assesses the countries in question on several criteria, including public policy on childcare (price, accessibility and quality), as well as the amount of leave available to parents.

At the top of the list are Luxembourg, Iceland, Sweden, Norway and Germany. The worst performers are Slovakia, the United States, Cyprus, Switzerland and Australia. France is ranked 19th, just below average, while Canada is ranked 22nd and the United Kingdom 35th.

The study raises a worrying point: half of the rich countries included in the ranking do not offer “affordable and quality” childcare services.

In Ireland, New Zealand and Switzerland, a couple with an average income has to spend between one-third and one-half of one salary to pay for two children in childcare. For low-income lone parents, half of their salary is spent on childcare in the lowest ranking countries, including Slovakia, Cyprus and the United States.

Disparities in leave for both parents are also significant. Indeed, less than half of the rich countries offer at least 32 weeks of leave on full pay to mothers.

“When paternal leave is offered — always substantially shorter — few fathers take it because of professional and cultural barriers, though this trend is changing,” the report pointed out.

Still, “paid prenatal, maternal and paternal leave enables parents to bond with their babies, supports healthy child development, lowers maternal depression and increases gender equality,” noted UNICEF.

In light of this, UNICEF is advocating for at least six months of paid parental leave and universal access to quality, affordable childcare from birth to children’s entry into the first grade of school.